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Dance Music
Dance Music is the fifth song on the album The Sunset Tree. Lyrics Alright I'm on Johnson Avenue In San Luis Obispo And I'm five years old or six maybe And indications that there's something wrong with our new house Trip down the wire twice daily I'm in the living room watching the Watergate hearings While my stepfather yells at my mother Launches a glass across the room straight at her head And I dash upstairs to take cover Lean in close to my little record player on the floor So this is what the volume knob's for I listen to dance music Dance music Okay so I'm seventeen years old And you're the last best thing I got going But then the special secret sickness starts to eat through you What am I supposed to do? No way of knowing So I follow you down your twisting alleyways Find a few cul-de-sacs of my own There's only one place this road ever ends up And I don't wanna die alone Let me down, let me down, let me down gently When the police come to get me I'm listening to dance music Dance music Comments by John Darnielle About this Song *"This next song is about God's plan for the salvation of all of us. Really." -- 2005-10-31 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *"This is actually the town which I wrote this song." -- 2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *"This is a song called 'Dance Music' that takes place in two disparate points in my life, and the first one I'm five, and we've—the divorce is fresh, and we've just moved across town, and it was when I first started to notice, sort of, cracks in the edifice of the new home, and then the next one, the second half of the song, I'm a teenager, and I'm sort of exploring my own, uh, my own ways of wrecking myself." -- NPR interview *"What do I say as a guy who had the dubious pleasure of seeing his mother beaten by my stepfather about these songs that are about... I mean, I've been there... This is another one of those uptempo numbers about domestic violence." -- 2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *"I want to send this out for anybody whose families gaslight them. I believe you." -- 2016-10-26 - Downtown Artery - Fort Collins, CO *Story About Writing 'Dance Music' for The Atlantic *"I want to give some kind of warning to people, if I'm playing a song that is in this realm it can get a little weird for people, especially for people who haven't, that don't come from the house I do, 'So you talk about that outside your therapist's office', OK cool. I do. So here's the thing that happened, my stepfather dies and my relationship with him was complex, he was an abusive person, but I also learned of what I learned from him, we have these relationships with people who harm us and it was very intense. The thing that happens when that person for you dies, it's not like the next day, well now I'm going to get to work, you sort go into a strange space, like an eighties movie or something. Flashing lights on the walls and stuff and you live in a different universe to people. If you're waiting for that day, when that day does come it's really something. But for me, that happened and I went on tour, 2003 was the year, very very intense tour, and touring... I mean, I'm not complaining, I love the life that I live, but if you're not centered emotionally, tour will 100% kick you over the ledge. You need extra therapy before you go on tour, because you're moving around every single day, you see a lot of people and you go these events, if you're actually doing your job you're doing something cathartic every night, you get pretty raw. More so if there's been some recent death of an important figure in your life. We're going from town to town, and we were parked in, like double parked in Paris, trying to get into a venue, it just happened. I'm just sitting there, people honking at you. I've been doing this for a week, stuff hashing out in the brain, I'm not sleeping, ... And I wrote a bunch of stuff. Some of it was lyrics, some of it was just stuff. ... Then we get to do a Peel session, with John Peel, one of the greatest people who ever lived. ... Lot of bands just play what they're touring when they get to their Peel session, but of course I stand in eternal judgment of these bands. They should play new stuff in a Peel session, stuff nobody's ever even heard. But all I had was a bunch of new lyrics, managed to get all four I was making up chords as fast as I can. ... This was one of the lyrics that I wrote in the van, standing, sitting outside the Paris venue, waiting to get in and and laid down some quick chords to and made a song, John Peel this is for you." -- 2019-11-15 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England Things Referenced in this Song Live Shows this Song Was Played at *2004-04-28 - Peel Session - London, England *2004-05-21 - KEXP Session - Seattle, WA *2004-05-26 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2004-05-27 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2004-10-04 - Magic Stick - Detroit, MI *2004-10-08 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2004-10-11 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *2004-10-15 - The Social - Orlando, FL *2004-10-18 - The EARL - Atlanta, GA *2005-03-23 - Emo's - Austin, TX *2005-03-25 - Rubber Gloves - Denton, TX *2005-04-28 - Will's Pub - Orlando, FL *2005-05-02 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC *2005-05-03 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *2005-05-04 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA *2005-05-05 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2005-05-07 - Northsix - Brooklyn, NY *2005-05-08 - The Middle East - Cambridge, MA *2005-05-10 - La Sala Rossa - Montreal, Quebec *2005-05-13 - Logan Square - Chicago, IL *2005-05-14 - NPR Session - Studio 4A - Washington, D.C. *2005-06-18 - China Clipper - Olympia, WA *2005-06-19 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA *2005-06-20 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2005-06-21 - WOW Hall - Eugene, OR *2005-06-23 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2005-07-02 - Old American Can Factory - Brooklyn, NY *2005-07-04 - Fulton Mall Parking Garage - Brooklyn, NY *2005-09-14 - Newtown - Sydney, Australia *2005-09-16 - The Rosemount - Perth, Australia *2005-10-12 - The Canopy Club - Urbana, IL *2005-10-13 - Open End Gallery - Chicago, IL *2005-10-14 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL *2005-10-15 - Kraftbrau Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI *2005-10-17 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2005-10-18 - The Buffalo Icon - Buffalo, NY *2005-10-20 - Uptown Theatre - Washington, PA *2005-10-23 - Lunt Hall Basement Haverford College - Haverford, PA *2005-10-26 - The Iron Horse - Northampton, MA *2005-10-27 - Remis Auditorium - Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, MA *2005-10-28 - Fuel Rocket Club - Dartmouth College - Hanover, NH *2005-10-29 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2005-10-31 - Knitting Factory - New York, NY *2005-11-04 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC *2006-04-16 - Great Escape Festival - Sydney, Australia *2006-06-13 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2006-06-14 - The Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA *2006-07-29 - Pitchfork Music Festival - Union Park - Chicago, IL *2006-08-10 - 40 Watt Club - Athens, GA *2006-09-15 - The Maintenance Shop - Ames, IA *2006-09-19 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2006-09-26 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA *2006-09-29 - Club Europa - Brooklyn, NY *2006-09-30 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2006-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2006-10-20 - Troika Music Festival - Durham, NC *2006-10-23 - The Gargoyle - St. Louis, MO *2006-10-26 - The Opolis - Norman, OK *2006-10-31 - Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA *2006-11-03 - The EARL - Atlanta, GA *2006-11-16 - The Daily Show 10th Anniversary - Irving Plaza - New York, NY *2006-12-02 - Pitzer College - Claremont, CA *2006-12-31 - Falls Festival - Lorne, Australia *2007-01-02 - Club Capitol - Perth, Australia *2007-01-03 - Fowlers Live - Adelaide, Australia *2007-01-05 - The Corner Hotel - Melbourne, Australia *2007-03-01 - Nuemo's - Seattle, WA *2007-03-03 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2007-03-04 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2007-03-07 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA *2007-03-09 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2007-03-10 - Steynberg Gallery - San Luis Obispo, CA *2007-03-11 - The El Rey - Los Angeles, CA *2007-04-03 - Garage - Oslo, Norway *2007-04-04 - Woody West @ Pusterviksbaren - Gothenburg, Sweden *2007-05-05 - Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC *2007-06-20 - Eff Cancer Benefit - Metro - Chicago, IL *2007-09-20 - The Black Cat - Washington, D.C. *2007-09-22 - North Star Bar - Philadelphia, PA *2007-09-25 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2007-09-27 - Rex Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA *2007-10-01 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2007-10-30 - Pabst Theater - Milwaukee, WI *2007-10-31 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, MN *2007-11-02 - Gardner Lounge - Grinnell, IA *2007-11-05 - Belly Up - Aspen, CO *2007-11-06 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO *2007-11-08 - Jackpot Saloon - Lawrence, KS *2007-11-13 - Madhatter - Covington, KY *2007-11-14 - The Canopy Club - Urbana, IL *2007-11-15 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL *2007-11-29 - NYU Kimmel Center - New York, NY *2007-12-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2007-12-09 - Moho Live - Manchester, England *2007-12-10 - Oran Mor - Glasgow, Scotland *2008-02-29 - Bimbo's - San Francisco, CA *2008-03-01 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA *2008-03-19 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2008-03-20 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA *2008-09-14 - End of the Road Festival - Dorset, England *2008-09-15 - ULU - London, England *2008-10-17 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO *2008-10-18 - In the Venue - Salt Lake City, UT *2008-10-21 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR *2008-10-29 - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ *2008-11-02 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX *2008-11-05 - Cat's Cradle - Chapel Hill, NC *2008-11-06 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. *2008-11-08 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2008-12-05 - Manning Bar - Sydney, Australia *2008-12-18 - San Francisco Bath House - Wellington, New Zealand *2009-02-05 - Thursday Concert - Ships and Dip V *2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2009-03-18 - The Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC *2009-03-19 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC *2009-03-20 - Attucks Theatre - Norfolk, VA *2009-03-21 - Sixth & I Historic Synagogue - Washington, D.C. *2009-03-24 - Pearl Street - Northampton, MA *2009-03-26 - Donovan's Pub at Colgate University - Hamilton, NY *2009-03-27 - The Society for Ethical Culture - New York, NY *2009-03-29 - Kenyon College - Gambier, OH *2009-03-30 - Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH *2009-04-01 - Portage Theater - Chicago, IL *2009-04-03 - Mission Creek Music Festival - The Mill - Iowa City, IA *2009-04-06 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater - Bloomington, IN *2009-06-13 - Zoop II - Farm Sanctuary - Watkins Glen, NY *2009-09-18 - Ithaca College - Ithaca, NY *2009-10-13 - Point Ephemere - Paris, France *2009-10-15 - Magnet - Berlin, Germany *2009-11-04 - Ladies Literary Club - Calvin College - Grand Rapids, MI *2009-11-29 - Wilbur Theatre - Boston, MA *2010-03-11 - Memorial Union Building - University of New Hampshire - Durham, NH *2010-03-13 - Harvest of Hope Festival - St. Augustine, FL *2010-03-14 - The Social - Orlando, FL *2010-04-09 - San Francisco Bath House - Wellington, New Zealand *2010-04-11 - The Zoo - Brisbane, Australia *2010-04-16 - Fowlers Live - Adelaide, Australia *2010-04-18 - The Rosemount Hotel - Perth, Australia *2010-05-16 - BreastFest - American Theater Company - Chicago, IL *2010-05-30 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2010-05-31 - Sasquatch Music Festival - George, WA *2010-06-02 - The Rickshaw Theatre - Vancouver, British Columbia *2010-06-04 - Neurolux - Boise, ID *2010-09-04 - FYF Fest - Los Angeles State Historic Park - Los Angeles, CA *2010-10-06 - Academy of Contemporary Music @ UCO - Oklahoma City, OK *2010-12-17 - Brome for the Holidays - King's Barcade - Raleigh, NC *2011-04-03 - The Opera House - Toronto, Ontario *2011-04-04 - SPIN Session - New York, NY *2011-06-26 - Rhino's Youth Media Center & All-Ages Club - Plan-It-X Fest - Bloomington, IN *2011-07-13 - 1982 Bar - Gainesville, FL *2011-12-06 - Second City - Chicago, IL *2012-01-22 - Central Square Records - Seaside, FL *2012-04-19 - Benefit to Defeat Amendment One - Motorco - Durham, NC *2012-05-04 - The Zoo - Brisbane, Australia *2012-05-06 - The Metro - Sydney, Australia *2012-05-08 - The Clarendon - Katoomba, Australia *2012-06-10 - Halfway Festival - Białystok, Poland *2012-06-28 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2012-10-13 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-14 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-15 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY *2012-10-18 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *2012-10-20 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario *2012-10-24 - The Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN *2012-11-29 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA *2013-05-01 - Legends Club at Appalachian State University - Boone, NC *2013-06-03 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. *2013-06-07 - Center Church on the Green - New Haven, CT *2013-06-08 - Port City Music Hall - Portland, ME *2013-06-12 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2013-06-14 - Taft Ballroom - Cincinnati, OH *2013-06-15 - Buskirk-Chumley Theater - Bloomington, IN *2013-06-16 - Space - Evanston, IL *2013-06-17 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL *2013-06-20 - Old Rock House - St. Louis, MO *2013-06-22 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL *2013-06-23 - High Dive - Gainesville, FL *2013-06-24 - Culture Room - Ft. Lauderdale, FL *2013-06-26 - The Charleston Pourhouse - Charleston, SC *2013-06-27 - New Brooklyn Tavern - West Columbia, SC *2013-06-28 - The Soapbox - Wilmington, NC *2013-07-06 - Festival for the Eno - Durham, NC *2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2013-10-09 - Royal Northern College of Music - Manchester, England *2013-10-12 - Handelsbeurs - Gent, Belgium *2013-10-13 - People's Place - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2013-10-16 - La Gaite Lyrique - Paris, France *2013-10-18 - Teatre Conde Duque - Madrid, Spain *2013-10-19 - Caprichos de Apolo - Barcelona, Spain *2014-04-15 - Pearl Street Ballroom - Northampton, MA *2014-04-16 - Somerville Theatre - Somerville, MA *2014-04-17 - Club Helsinki - Hudson, NY *2014-04-19 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL *2014-04-20 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, IL *2014-04-21 - Scope Productions Presents First United Methodist Church - Iowa City, IA *2014-05-02 - Kresge Recital Hall - Knox College - Galesburg, IL *2014-06-05 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2014-06-07 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT *2014-06-08 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID *2014-06-10 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA *2014-06-13 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-15 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-17 - Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, CA *2014-06-18 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2014-06-20 - Dan's Silverleaf - Denton, TX *2014-06-21 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX *2014-06-22 - The Mohawk - Austin, TX *2015-04-17 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2015-09-09 - Lawrence Arts Center - Lawrence, KS *2015-09-10 - Vega - Lincoln, NE *2015-11-15 - Gorilla - Manchester, England *2015-11-23 - Heliogàbal - Barcelona, Spain *2016-02-24 - Sidebar Theatre - Tallahassee, FL *2016-02-25 - High Dive - Gainesville, FL *2016-02-27 - Noise Pop 2016 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2016-03-01 - The Depot - Humboldt State University - Arcata, CA *2016-03-25 - The Pour House Music Hall - Raleigh, NC *2016-04-08 - The Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI *2016-05-12 - The Pinhook - Durham, NC *2016-09-30 - The Waiting Room - Omaha, NE *2016-10-03 - Codfish Hollow Barnstormers - Maquoketa, IA *2016-10-25 - eTown Hall - Boulder, CO *2016-10-26 - Downtown Artery - Fort Collins, CO *2016-10-27 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO *2016-10-29 - Hi-Dive - Denver, CO *2016-11-12 - Jam Room Music Festival - Columbia, SC *2016-11-21 - Second City - Chicago, IL *2016-12-16 - House Show for Scott - Cherry Hill, NJ *2019-07-22 - Asbury Lanes - Asbury Park, NJ *2019-09-18 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV *2019-11-15 - O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire - London, England Videos of this Song *2005-05-13 - Logan Square - Chicago, IL *2005-10-15 - Kraftbrau Brewery - Kalamazoo, MI *2006-07-29 - Pitchfork Music Festival - Union Park - Chicago, IL *2006-09-15 - The Maintenance Shop - Ames, IA *2006-09-29 - Club Europa - Brooklyn, NY *2006-10-31 - Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA *2007-03-04 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR *2007-09-22 - North Star Bar - Philadelphia, PA *2007-09-25 - Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario *2007-12-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2008-02-29 - Bimbo's - San Francisco, CA *2008-03-01 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA *2009-02-05 - Thursday Concert - Ships and Dip V *2009-02-25 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2009-03-19 - Duke Coffeehouse - Durham, NC *2009-03-27 - The Society for Ethical Culture - New York, NY *2009-03-30 - Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH *2009-04-01 - Portage Theater - Chicago, IL *2009-10-15 - Magnet - Berlin, Germany *2010-05-31 - Sasquatch Music Festival - George, WA *2010-09-04 - FYF Fest - Los Angeles State Historic Park - Los Angeles, CA *2011-04-04 - SPIN Session - New York, NY *2012-01-22 - Central Square Records - Seaside, FL *2012-10-14 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY *2012-10-20 - Phoenix Concert Theatre - Toronto, Ontario *2012-11-29 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA *2013-06-16 - Space - Evanston, IL *2013-10-08 - Union Chapel - London, England *2013-10-09 - Royal Northern College of Music - Manchester, England *2013-10-13 - People's Place - Amsterdam, Netherlands *2014-04-16 - Somerville Theatre - Somerville, MA *2014-05-02 - Kresge Recital Hall - Knox College - Galesburg, IL *2014-06-05 - Gothic Theatre - Denver, CO *2014-06-13 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA *2014-06-17 - Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, CA *2014-06-18 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ *2014-06-21 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX *2015-04-17 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *2016-02-27 - Noise Pop 2016 - Swedish American Hall - San Francisco, CA *2016-11-21 - Second City - Chicago, IL Category:The Sunset Tree songs Category:Video